PHASED ARRAY METAMATERIAL ANTENNA SYSTEM
An efficient, low-loss, low sidelobe, high dynamic range phased-array radar antenna system is disclosed that uses metamaterials, which are manmade composite materials having a negative index of refraction, to create a biconcave lens architecture (instead of the aforementioned biconvex lens) for focusing the microwaves transmitted by the antenna. Accordingly, the sidelobes of the antenna are reduced. Attenuation across microstrip transmission lines may be reduced by using low loss transmission lines that are suspended above a ground plane a predetermined distance in a way such they are not in contact with a solid substrate. By suspending the microstrip transmission lines in this manner, dielectric signal loss is reduced significantly, thus resulting in a less-attenuated signal at its destination.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. ______, entitled Phased Array Metamaterial Antenna System, filed Mar. 5, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to phased array antenna systems and, more particularly, to phased array antenna systems useful in automotive radar applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPhased array systems and antennas for use in such systems are well known in, for example, telecommunications and radar applications. Such systems generally employ fixed, planar arrays of individual transmit and receive elements. When receiving electromagnetic (EM) signals, such as a communication signal or the return signal in a radar system, phased array systems receive signals at the individual elements and coherently reassemble the signals over the entire array by compensating for the relative phases and time delays between the elements. When transmitting signals, beams are electronically steered by delaying the excitation of selected individual radiating elements. For relatively small antennas, adequate delays of the individual elements can be provided by adjusting the phase of the excitation signals supplied to the elements.
Traditional phased-array antenna systems used in such applications were expensive to manufacture, were relatively large and bulky, and the performance was less than desirable due to, for example, relatively poor performance of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) of the transceiver section of the antenna system. For example, such MMICs typically resulted in significant undesirable sidelobes which limited the usefulness of antennas using such circuits. Recent attempts at such antenna systems have included printing antenna system elements, such as signal traces and patch antennas, on a circuit board using well-known lithography techniques. Such antenna systems solve one problem in that they are smaller and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and, therefore, have been used increasingly in new applications. One such application is in adaptive cruise control systems in trucks, automobiles and other such vehicles. Such cruise control systems are able to reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle in order to maintain a predetermined distance between the vehicle and other traffic. Radar systems in vehicles are potentially also useful in such applications as collision avoidance and warning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present inventor has realized that, while the size and cost of in-vehicle phased array antenna systems has improved, due in part to the lithographic processes used to manufacture modern antenna systems, even the improved antenna systems are limited in certain regards. For example, recent attempts of implementing in-vehicle radar have focused on the 76-77 GHz frequency range and recent data communications attempts have been made in the 71-76 GHz and the 81-86 GHz frequency range. However, at such frequencies, antenna systems with lithographically-printed microstrip transmission lines experience a high degree of signal attenuation. Additionally, such printed antenna systems have relied on a signal-feed/delay line architecture that resulted in a biconvex, or Fresnel, lens for focusing the microwaves. The use of such lens architectures resulted in microwave radiation patterns having poor sidelobe performance due to signal attenuation of electromagnetic energy as it passed through the lens. Specifically, the signal passing through the center portion of the lens was attenuated to a greater degree than the signal passing through the edges of the lens, thus resulting in significant sidelobes. While signal delay lines in the lens portion of the system could reduce the sidelobes and, as a result, increase the amplitude performance of the phased array system, this was also limited in its usefulness because, by implementing such delay lines, the operating bandwidth of the phased-array system was reduced.
Therefore, the present inventor has invented an efficient, low-loss, low sidelobe, high dynamic range phased-array radar antenna system that essentially solves the aforementioned problems. In one embodiment, the present invention uses metamaterials, which are manmade composite materials having a negative index of refraction, to create a biconcave lens architecture (instead of the aforementioned biconvex lens) for focusing the microwaves transmitted by the antenna. Accordingly, a signal passing through the center of the lens is attenuated to a lesser degree relative to the edges of the lens, thus significantly reducing the amplitude of the sidelobes of the antenna while, at the same time, retaining a relatively wide useful bandwidth.
In another embodiment, attenuation across microstrip transmission lines is reduced by using low loss transmission lines that are suspended above a ground plane a predetermined distance in a way such they are not in contact with a solid substrate. By suspending the microstrip transmission lines in this manner, dielectric signal loss is reduced significantly, thus resulting in a less-attenuated signal at its destination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Waveguide 103 is, illustratively, a parallel plate wave guide printed lithographically on a suitable dielectric substrate. Such lithographic processes are well known in the art. Waveguide 103 functions to receive signals from any of signal input lines 150-158 and to guide those signals in a predetermined fashion to the individual delay lines 107 of lens 102. Signal input lines 150-158 are, for example, lines connected to a radar signal generating and processing system.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that, in order to steer and focus the beam in the correct direction, the radar signal generating and processing system can transmit the signal across a different one or more of the signal input lines 150-158. For example, referring to
While the MMIC prior art antenna structures of
Instead of using a biconvex lens structure, therefore, the present inventor has recognized that it would be desirable to use a biconcave lens structure that would result in lower attenuation at the center of the lens than at the edges and, as a result, result in a desirable amplitude profile of the transmitted beam without using bandwidth-limiting delay lines. However, to date, such a concave lens architecture has been difficult to achieve with conventional materials because naturally-occurring materials typically have a positive index of refraction and, hence, a biconcave lens made of such material would scatter, and not focus, light. However, recent material advances in composite structures known as metamaterials has introduced new physical structures with unique properties. The present inventor has realized that, by integrating metamaterials into the delay lines 107 of the lens portion 102 of
A great deal of recent research has been accomplished on the manufacture, properties and uses of metamaterials. Metamaterials, as used herein, are man-made composite structures that are characterized by a negative permittivity and a negative permeability at least across a portion of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum. Accordingly, the refractive index of a metamaterial is also negative across that portion of the spectrum. In practical terms, materials possessing such a negative index of refraction are capable of refracting propagating electromagnetic waves incident upon the metamaterial in an opposite direction compared to if the wave was incident upon a material having a positive index of refraction. If the wavelength of the electromagnetic energy is relatively large compared to the individual structure elements of the metamaterial, then the electromagnetic energy will respond as if the metamaterial is actually a homogeneous material.
Referring to
Caloz reported in the publication Invited—Novel Microwave Devices and Structures Based on the Transmission Line Approach of Meta-Materials referenced above, that structures similar to
One problem with using the above-described metamaterial structures in high-frequency applications is that such high-frequency signals traveling across microstrip lines experience a high degree of attenuation. Specifically, as frequencies rise to ≧70 GHz, signal attenuation for a given traditionally-designed transmission line length increases significantly and, accordingly, the received signal strength at a signal's destination is significantly reduced. Thus, traditional microstrip transmission lines are inadequate for use at such high frequencies. Such signal attenuation and methods for reducing the attenuation is the subject of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled Low-Loss Transmission Line Structure, filed Feb. 27, 2004. This patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
As discussed more fully in the ‘______ application,
The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting aspects and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass functional equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A phased-array antenna system for transmitting at least a first electromagnetic signal, said system comprising:
- a phased-array antenna having a plurality of elements,
- wherein said plurality of elements is arranged in an array, each of said elements in said plurality adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy to form said electromagnetic signal; and
- a biconcave electromagnetic lens for inputting electromagnetic signals to at least a portion of said elements;
- wherein at least a portion of said electromagnetic lens comprises a metamaterial.
2. The phased-array antenna system of claim 1 wherein said metamaterial comprises a plurality of periodic unit-cells disposed along at least a first microstrip line.
3. The phased-array antenna system of claim 2 wherein said periodic unit-cells comprise a plurality of electrical components.
4. The phased-array antenna system of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical components comprise capacitors.
5. The phased array antenna system of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical components comprise inductors.
6. The phased array antenna system of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical components comprise distributed circuit components.
7. The phased-array antenna system of claim 1 wherein said metamaterial comprises a plurality of microstrip lines, each of said microstrip lines further comprising a plurality of periodic unit-cells.
8. The phased-array antenna system of claim 7 wherein said periodic unit-cells comprise a plurality of electrical components.
9. The phased-array antenna system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical components comprise capacitors.
10. The phased array antenna system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical components comprise inductors.
11. The phased array antenna system of claim 1 wherein said metamaterial comprises:
- a conducting transmission element;
- a substrate comprising at least a first ground plane for grounding said transmission element;
- a plurality of unit-cell circuits disposed periodically along said transmission element;
- at least a first via for electrically connecting said transmission element to said at least a first ground plane; and
- means for suspending said conducting transmission element a first distance away from said substrate in a way such that said transmission element is located at a second predetermined distance away from said ground plane.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 8, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 13, 2005
Inventor: Carsten Metz (Township of Chatham, NJ)
Application Number: 10/795,607